- Mar 16, 2014
- 3
- 0
- 4,510
I've been lurking Tom's Hardware for years now, as I've been interested in building my own PC for the past ten years or so. Finally, I think it's time. I've done a lot of research, but I would like opinions on what I have so far, and a few questions I haven't quite had satisfactory answers to. Before I begin with that, however, I will post the new build template and my responses.
Approximate Purchase Date: By the end of July, maybe August.
Budget Range: I would like my upper limit to be around $1600, but I am also building this machine for longevity, and I would rather spend more now than be constantly playing catch-up.
System Usage from Most to Least Important: This machine will be my primary source of home entertainment. I want it to handle games for a few years to come, but I will also be using it for web surfing and movies.
Are you buying a monitor: No.
Parts to Upgrade: All. I am currently using a pre-built HP I regret buying, but it is six years old. I want a clean start with this machine.
Do you need to buy OS: Yes.
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: I would be very happy if I could get all of these parts from Newegg.
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Parts Preferences: I prefer Intel and Nvidia.
Overclocking: Yes, I am very interested in learning to overclock.
SLI or Crossfire: Not immediately, but eventually yes.
Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080
Additional Comments: I would like this machine to be powerful and quiet. I want to be able to run Skyrim STEP, the FPS games on the market today and games like The Witcher 3 and TES VI.
And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: I want to build my own desktop that is built to last. I want it to be great out of the gate, with the ability to have an SLI, more RAM, and further down the road be upgrade-able.
And now, the build! And questions I have about the build.
CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($238.99 @ Amazon)
Should I go with the i5-4670k or the brand new i5-4690k? The difference is only $20, which isn't huge, but is the power of the Devil's Canyon worth it?
Motherboard: ASRock Z97 EXTREME4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($128.99 @ Newegg)
I went with this board after reading a comparison done right here on Tom's. I think I would be happy with it. My problem with motherboard shopping is the sheer volume of options. This board seems to have everything I need on it; what do more expensive boards bring to the table? After a while they all start to look identical to me.
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($139.99 @ Micro Center)
A friend of mine explained to me that the configuration of RAM in a machine is very important. For instance, if Machine A has 15 GB of Ram in a 4x4x4x4 array, it will be more efficient than Machine B using an 8x8 array. Is this true?
I'm also aware that 16 GB of RAM is very likely overkill. However, I do tend to leave many applications running while I game (I am a notorious web page tabber). Will 16 GB help me game while leaving things running in the background, or is it too much even then?
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($211.49 @ Amazon)
So SSDs seem to be pretty popular, and I admit I am giddy over them in every way save for price. Most people I have talked to say that I should install my OS on an SSD, but install the rest of my applications on a standard drive. Is a fast boot time worth the cost of an SSD?
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($107.00 @ B&H)
I've never had a hard drive fail on me, but I've felt the pain of others who have experienced this. Is it better to get a few 1 TB drives instead? Is putting all of my eggs in a 3 TB basket a bad idea?
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($629.99 @ Amazon)
It's oh so expensive, but I am rather smitten with the GTX 780 Ti, especially the MSI Frozr model. But I've also seen the GTX 780 6 GB. Are these cards comparable? My limited knowledge tells me the 6 GB would only be better if I was running multiple monitors, and the 780 Ti is the better all around choice.
I would really like to experience Skyrim STEP, and I want to be ready for games like The Witcher 2 and TES VI when it comes out. Is the 780 Ti overkill, or is it the right amount of futureproofing? For the price, it seems pretty incredible.
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
The folks on Reddit seem to love this case, and I like how minimalistic it looks. It's also supposed to be very quiet. Are there quieter cases for the same price range?
Power Supply: SeaSonic M12II 850W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($119.99 @ Amazon)
I know how important the PSU is, and I want to make sure I get one that will last. If you have any personal or tested recommendations here, please share!
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
I really don't like Windows 8; I would much rather have my trusted Windows 7 for my dream machine. But I also know that Windows 8 is the future, and that Microsoft is rolling out updates to make it more desktop friendly. Most importantly, I've heard that Windows 8 is better for hardware optimization, but I haven't heard why. Is this true?
Total: $1747.41
Well that's all I have for now. Thank you to anyone who took the time to read this far and help me out by sharing your wisdom. It is much appreciated! I look forward to seeing what you all come up with.
Approximate Purchase Date: By the end of July, maybe August.
Budget Range: I would like my upper limit to be around $1600, but I am also building this machine for longevity, and I would rather spend more now than be constantly playing catch-up.
System Usage from Most to Least Important: This machine will be my primary source of home entertainment. I want it to handle games for a few years to come, but I will also be using it for web surfing and movies.
Are you buying a monitor: No.
Parts to Upgrade: All. I am currently using a pre-built HP I regret buying, but it is six years old. I want a clean start with this machine.
Do you need to buy OS: Yes.
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: I would be very happy if I could get all of these parts from Newegg.
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Parts Preferences: I prefer Intel and Nvidia.
Overclocking: Yes, I am very interested in learning to overclock.
SLI or Crossfire: Not immediately, but eventually yes.
Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080
Additional Comments: I would like this machine to be powerful and quiet. I want to be able to run Skyrim STEP, the FPS games on the market today and games like The Witcher 3 and TES VI.
And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: I want to build my own desktop that is built to last. I want it to be great out of the gate, with the ability to have an SLI, more RAM, and further down the road be upgrade-able.
And now, the build! And questions I have about the build.
CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($238.99 @ Amazon)
Should I go with the i5-4670k or the brand new i5-4690k? The difference is only $20, which isn't huge, but is the power of the Devil's Canyon worth it?
Motherboard: ASRock Z97 EXTREME4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($128.99 @ Newegg)
I went with this board after reading a comparison done right here on Tom's. I think I would be happy with it. My problem with motherboard shopping is the sheer volume of options. This board seems to have everything I need on it; what do more expensive boards bring to the table? After a while they all start to look identical to me.
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($139.99 @ Micro Center)
A friend of mine explained to me that the configuration of RAM in a machine is very important. For instance, if Machine A has 15 GB of Ram in a 4x4x4x4 array, it will be more efficient than Machine B using an 8x8 array. Is this true?
I'm also aware that 16 GB of RAM is very likely overkill. However, I do tend to leave many applications running while I game (I am a notorious web page tabber). Will 16 GB help me game while leaving things running in the background, or is it too much even then?
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($211.49 @ Amazon)
So SSDs seem to be pretty popular, and I admit I am giddy over them in every way save for price. Most people I have talked to say that I should install my OS on an SSD, but install the rest of my applications on a standard drive. Is a fast boot time worth the cost of an SSD?
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($107.00 @ B&H)
I've never had a hard drive fail on me, but I've felt the pain of others who have experienced this. Is it better to get a few 1 TB drives instead? Is putting all of my eggs in a 3 TB basket a bad idea?
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($629.99 @ Amazon)
It's oh so expensive, but I am rather smitten with the GTX 780 Ti, especially the MSI Frozr model. But I've also seen the GTX 780 6 GB. Are these cards comparable? My limited knowledge tells me the 6 GB would only be better if I was running multiple monitors, and the 780 Ti is the better all around choice.
I would really like to experience Skyrim STEP, and I want to be ready for games like The Witcher 2 and TES VI when it comes out. Is the 780 Ti overkill, or is it the right amount of futureproofing? For the price, it seems pretty incredible.
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
The folks on Reddit seem to love this case, and I like how minimalistic it looks. It's also supposed to be very quiet. Are there quieter cases for the same price range?
Power Supply: SeaSonic M12II 850W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($119.99 @ Amazon)
I know how important the PSU is, and I want to make sure I get one that will last. If you have any personal or tested recommendations here, please share!
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
I really don't like Windows 8; I would much rather have my trusted Windows 7 for my dream machine. But I also know that Windows 8 is the future, and that Microsoft is rolling out updates to make it more desktop friendly. Most importantly, I've heard that Windows 8 is better for hardware optimization, but I haven't heard why. Is this true?
Total: $1747.41
Well that's all I have for now. Thank you to anyone who took the time to read this far and help me out by sharing your wisdom. It is much appreciated! I look forward to seeing what you all come up with.
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